Covid-19 no longer the leading cause of death in Wales
Covid-19 is no longer the leading cause of death in Wales, according to new figures.
The data for March from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows that the virus accounted for 6.3% of the deaths in Wales.
This puts it as the third leading cause of death overall, and it is the first time since October 2020 that it has not been the biggest killer in the country.
The highest percentage of deaths registered in Wales in March were caused by ischaemic heart diseases, at 11.8%.
In Wales, the number of deaths registered in March 2021 was 2,984, which was 150 fewer deaths than in March 2020, as well 87 fewer deaths than the five-year average for the month.
The number of deaths in March 2021 was within the five-year range of deaths registered in March in 2015 to 2019.
Of the deaths registered in March in Wales, 1,547 were male and 1,437 were female.
The age-standardised mortality rate (ASMR) of deaths in Wales due to Covid-19 in March 2021 was 65.2 deaths per 100,000 people, which is the lowest rate since October 2020.
Covid-19 is no longer the leading cause of death in England either, where according to the data it accounted for 9.2% of those registered.
There the leading cause of death was dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, accounting for 10.1%
The age-standardised mortality rate (ASMR) of deaths due to Covid-19 in March 2021 was 89.3 deaths per 100,000 people in England, the lowest rate since November 2020.
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